Friday, June 27, 2008

Tea and Beans....not your usual combination

After four solid days of sunshine, the weather this morning is a little more on the grey-side of Belgian 'summer'. I can't complain though, the warmth has been wonderful, and for the most part, without any humidity. I quite prefer this to the sweltering Toronto summer I left behind almost one year ago.

I don't have a recipe to share, but dinner last night was fantastic, not because of the rather mundane, not worth the share-recipe - but, more for its nostalgic qualities. After a not-too-painful trip to 'the mall' to check out the furniture at Habitat, we headed to Rob's, the shop that stands currently as the only purveyor of refried/black beans in all of Brussels. North American colleagues are always spreading rumours of secret stashes of black bean tins hidden inside the homes of the American families who have access to the U.S. military 'grocery store'. I admit to having paid 2 euros 50 for my tin of beans, but, hey! it had been a while....

After last night's dinner, which was a totally selfish treat, I have to write an ode to my darling not-always-vegan cowboy. I have to admire the effort that K goes to when considering my dietary restrictions. He is always checking and double checking my options when we are going on holiday or heading out for a day's adventure. He is more steadfast than me when it comes to pre-travel inspections of Happy Cow. There are also the compromises that I know his cheese loving heart makes on a regular basis - including last night. K is not a fan of Mexican-ish food, but he willing swallowed four bean, sweet potato and red pepper stuffed corn tortillas (I ate my beans with rice cakes). He also seemed quite content with the guacamole I threw together (sans hand blender, just a knife a la Melissa Smith). I think the really nice wine we picked up from Rob's helped....Thanks K! You are the best!

I was anxious this morning to take a photo of my Green Gate tea pot which I picked up from my favourite house shop around the corner from me. I adore it, and the little tea mugs that go with it. I coveted this little home accessory for weeks until K splurged and picked it up for us. I think that when you drink as much as we do indulgence isn't such a bad thing.

We signed the lease on the new apartment the other night! Can't wait to get in there.

Oh...and I have to share my two new favourite albums. I can't get enough of Jason Collett's Here's to Being Here (I love the splashes of Canada), and Okkervil River's the Stage Names is dynamite. Unfortunaley, O.R. played Brussels late last year...so it is unlikely that they will be back around this year. But, Jason Collett is apparently a common feature on the Brussels' (amazing) music scene, so my fingers are crossed. I would ADORE seeing him....